India’s chess esports landscape just received a massive boost! NODWIN Gaming has joined forces with global chess giant Chess.com and India’s leading chess organization ChessBase India to create an unprecedented ecosystem that will transform competitive chess in the country.
Table of Contents
Partnership Overview: A Game-Changing Alliance
| Partner | Contribution | Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| NODWIN Gaming | Production & broadcast excellence | Esports infrastructure, commercial strategy |
| Chess.com | Global platform access | 200M+ users worldwide, tournament infrastructure |
| ChessBase India | Grassroots network | Community building, Indian chess ecosystem |
| Combined Impact | Unified chess esports ecosystem | From grassroots to global stage |
India’s Chess Boom: Numbers That Speak Volumes
The timing couldn’t be better. Chess has become India’s fourth most-watched sport after cricket, kabaddi, and BGMI tournaments. The recent World Chess Championship featuring Gukesh Dommaraju attracted 24 million views with 200,000 peak concurrent viewers!
Key Statistics:
- 9 million+ monthly active players from India on Chess.com
- 550,000 new signups monthly
- 925 million total organic views (640% year-over-year growth)
- 80.9% mobile-first viewership among Indian users
Learn more about India’s growing esports ecosystem and how traditional games are finding new digital audiences.
What This Partnership Means
According to Akshat Rathee, Co-founder of NODWIN Gaming: “Chess has now become the fourth most-watched sport in the country. We’re building a future-ready ecosystem that can take Indian chess from heritage to hype.”
The alliance will focus on:
- Original IP creation and competitive formats
- Creator community engagement
- Brand partnership opportunities
- Professional league development
Esports World Cup 2025: Chess Makes Its Debut
Chess is officially entering the esports arena with a $1.5 million prize pool at the Esports World Cup 2025. Indian esports organization S8UL will represent India with Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram – marking the first Indian esports team in competitive chess globally.
For comprehensive coverage of competitive gaming tournaments, explore our detailed analysis of India’s esports achievements.
The Digital Chess Revolution
Sagar Shah, CEO of ChessBase India, emphasized: “This partnership is a vision to grow the chess community from grassroots to the grand stage.” With cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai among top chess-viewing regions globally, India is perfectly positioned for this digital transformation.
The demographic shift is remarkable – the largest chess audience is aged 18-34, showing how Gen Z and millennials are embracing this ancient game through modern platforms.
Future of Chess Esports in India
This strategic alliance creates infrastructure for sustained growth, combining traditional chess wisdom with cutting-edge esports production. From community tournaments to professional broadcasts, the partnership addresses every level of competitive chess.
Stay updated on India’s gaming industry developments as chess continues its remarkable journey from heritage game to mainstream esport.
The checkmate for chess esports has begun, and India is ready to claim victory on the global stage.
